Benadalid

Benadalid  is a Spanish municipality in the province of Malaga, Andalusia, located in the east of the province in the Genal Valley, being one of the towns that make up the region of the Serrania de Ronda. By road it is 137 km from Malaga (via Ronda) and 672 km from Madrid.

Its architecture includes a castle of possible Roman and later Moorish origin, which was rebuilt in the 17th century. It has a square floor plan and is topped with cylindrical towers, and is now a cemetery. The Roman origin of its small fortress is confirmed by the existence of a road from this period between Lacipo and Arunda. It was conquered in 711 by the Berber Zayde Ibn Kesadi.

Between the 13th and 15th centuries it was alternately under the rule of Granada and Africa. Between 1492 and 1570 the Moors were expelled and public buildings were destroyed. In 1494 the towns of Benadalid and Benalauría were granted to the Second Count of Feria. In 1505, the Church of Benadalid was erected, with San Isidoro as its patron saint. In 1518 the Lordship passed to the Marquis of Tarifa, Lord of Alcalá de los Gazules.

In 1572 the castle passed into the hands of the Duke of Medinacelli, who ceded it to the Town Hall for use as a cemetery in the 19th century. In the 19th century, with the French invasion, the Chapel of Cristo de la Puente was destroyed. Between 1931 and 1932 the Benadalid-Benalauría community was dissolved. During the Civil War all the archives and religious images that existed in the village were destroyed.

Cruz del Humilladero Its construction dates back to 1776, according to the inscription on its upper part. It is built of large limestone blocks and, according to local tradition, two brothers of Portuguese origin who had come to work on the enlargement of the church with the two side naves were very active in its construction. These brothers, who were considered good craftsmen, were above all excellent stonemasons.

They settled here, married and are the origin of most of the “Fernández" surnames in the village. During the Franco dictatorship, the Humilladero was renamed Cruz de los Caídos (Cross of the Fallen), which is why many young people only know it by this name. However, some older people also call it Gradillas, because of the steps at the front.